Bulgarian rider Ivailo Gabrovski will lose his Presidential Tour of Turkey title and is set to be handed a lengthy ban after it was confirmed that a B sample analysis has verified a positive test for EPO in this year’s race.
On July 18th the UCI announced that the banned substance had been detected in an A sample analysis taken on April 24th. The governing body yesterday confirmed that the subsequent counter-analysis produced the same result.
“The B analysis was positive as well,” UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani told VeloNation. “On August 29th the UCI asked the national federation to open an disciplinary proceeding for an anti doping violation against him . We are awaiting the decision on that now – the federation has more or less a month to do it.”
Riding the 2.HC event with the small Konya Torku Seker Spor team, the 34 year old from Sofia stunned those on bigger squads when he dominated this year’s race. He finished well over a minute clear of the next rider on the race’s sole summit finish of Elmali, then successfully shrugged off all attacks over the five remaining days.
The performance raised eyebrows, particularly because of issues in his past. In 2003 he was stopped from racing the 3 Days of West Flanders because his haematocrit was over the 50% limit. Two years later, the same happened again at the world championships in Madrid when a UCI blood test threw up anomalies.
Speaking at the Presidential Tour of Turkey, Gabrovski denied any suggestions that his dominance of the race was suspect.
“This is not a surprise. This is a lot of work…not only this year or last year. I’ve been for more than 15 years a professional rider,” he insisted in a video interview, which can be seen here.
“I started with the road bicycle at eight years of age and all my life, I do the same thing. I ride my bike. I have no life like other guys and girls, I only have the bike. This is all I have.
“So cycling is my life. What happens here now is a lot of work and a lot of mind that I put in this race. Also, lots of wish, lots of courage to win the race. Luck too. You always need luck.”
Astana’s Alexandr Dyachenko finished one minute 33 seconds back and is now set to be handed the race victory. Danail Andonov Petrov (Caja Rural) will move up to second, while Adrian Palomares (Andalucia - Caja Granada) will improve to third.